Delaware mental health services get more oversight
Behavioral and mental health services in Delaware will face more scrutiny under a public-private commission signed into law Tuesday.
Flanked by mental health advocates and state health leaders, Gov. Jack Markell signed legislation launching a Behavioral and Mental Health Commission and an independent review committee that will monitor incident reports at area psychiatric hospitals and treatment records of adults suffering from serious and persistent mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression.
The purpose of the review committee, comprised of private health professionals and staffers of government health agencies, is to provide ongoing oversight and achieve long-term compliance with a 2011 settlement reached between Delaware and the U.S. Department of Justice, according to the legislation's proponents.
Under terms of the agreement, Delaware was tasked with creating a statewide mental health system that promotes community-based mental health treatment over lengthy hospital stays. It stemmed from violations of patient civil rights uncovered at Delaware Psychiatric Center, the subject of a 2007 investigation by The News Journal.
Read more: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/09/06/mental-health-services-get-more-oversight/89771940/
